Page 46 - FDI Alliance International Magazine Summer 2020 Digital Interactive Issue

Whitley County, primely located less than three agencies who were helpful during the pandemic position than companies that merely tried to
hours from Chicago, Detroit and Indianapolis, using loans, grants, PPE, reopening guidelines and weather the storm.
depends heavily on the continued success and more, but the Whitley EDC was able to rally the
growth of manufacturing, which required a fast community to help. The global economy of manufacturing is transitioning
response to COVID-19. to a new digital standard of production deemed
The Whitley EDC believes in collaboration and the Industry 4.0, based on automation, hyper-connection
The Whitley County Economic Development theory that a rising tide lifts all boats. Especially of devices, and real-time data-driven decisions.
Corporation (EDC) is a single point of contact when larger corporate companies are willing to Whitley EDC will continue to help their companies
for businesses in one of Northeast Indiana’s help the mid-size and small manufacturers. An identify opportunities for Industry 4.0 technology
manufacturing counties and has Dale Buuck leading open communication atmosphere allowed large adoptions and newly required work skills. In response
as the Whitley EDC president. manufacturing companies to talk about lessons to the evolution of the Industry 4.0, company
learned and document their pivot strategies. While leadership will be guided to develop a culture
Whitley County hosts an abundance of automotive some was specific to their processes, much of the of innovation and provide necessary hands-on
and medical device manufacturing in part of strategies can be modified for any manufacturing training for employees.
the United Sates with the highest per capita entity.
concentration of jobs and wages associated with There is no established approach to implement
manufacturing. The onset of the novel COVID-19 The use of anecdotal and empirical data is creating Industry 4.0, which allows small to midsize
pandemic impacted current production operations a “play book” for all Whitley County companies to manufacturers the flexibility to do what is best
while simultaneously hastened the global reliance use and reference when major interruptions take for their processes and begin the transition. In fact,
on remote working and technology-based ways place in business models, pandemic related or not. the 2019 Indiana Manufacturing Surveyi found
of sustaining traditional manufacturing. Without that organizational-related activities including
support of newer manufacturing technologies, manufacturing structures and processes jumped
Beyond COVID: Industry 4.0
many companies are at risk. from 5% to 20% in 2019.
The COVID-19 and resulting economic crises of 2020
Mitigating the Risk have highlighted the need for agile leadership and The Whitley EDC neighborly collaborative approach
critical decision making in the face of uncertainty and focuses on learning by doing, working directly
The Whitley EDC added assistance and methodology adversity. Companies that used the COVID-19 forced with companies and providing skill training to
in helping by incorporating a true neighborly changes as an opportunity to grow and improve the workforce to enable transformation beyond
approach. Like so many other economic development have found themselves in a better competitive COVID-19 and throughout Industry 4.0.

46. FDI ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL